This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. To investigate genes controlling the timing of puberty.[unreadable] [unreadable] Understanding the mechanism of puberty in the brain is important, as some diseases and behavioral disturbances occur in [unreadable] association with puberty. The species specificity of pubertal age indicates that the timing of puberty is controlled by genes. [unreadable] However, it is still unclear which gene is responsible for the onset of puberty. As a step to identify the genes controlling the [unreadable] timing of puberty, we measured mRNA for LHRH, NPY, GAD65, GAD67, Kiss-1, and GPR54 using quantitative RT-PCR [unreadable] method. Ovariectomy increased LHRH, GAD65, and NPY mRNA levels, while Kiss-1 mRNA decreased in the medial basal [unreadable] hypothalamus. In the preoptic area ovariectomy increase Kiss-1 mRNA, but none of the other mRNA levels were altered by [unreadable] ovariectomy. Neither GAD67 nor GPR54 mRNA both brain regions was altered by ovariectomy. The results indicate that [unreadable] mRNA levels in the hypothalamus and preoptic area are profoundly modulated by the ovarian steroid hormone estrogen, [unreadable] thus it is important to investigate the changes in LHRH, GAD65, GAD67, NPY, Kiss-1, and GPR54 mRNA levels in the [unreadable] medial basal hypothalamus and preopotic area of prepubertal and pubertal monkeys with or without ovariectomy. This [unreadable] research used WNPRC Assay Services and Animal Services.